Letter 178: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Copy of the letter of Anastasia to Hormisdas (519 AD, 22 April). [Argument:] That the emperor has restored the concord of peace to the churches; therefore she pours out prayers to God to Hormisdas for his welfare, for her husband, for her offspring, and for herself. To the holy lord and most blessed father of fathers Hormisdas, archbishop of the universal Church, Anastasia. We rightly acknowledge that the grace of the divine gift has shone upon us, knowing by the assertion of your page [your written letter] that we hold the reverence of your apostolate in remembrance within our holy heart. For with truthful hope we trust that the propitiation of the heavenly mercy rests upon your pontifical intercession, most blessed lord and father to be received with apostolic honor! The ever-watchful vigils of your prayers and the wondrous faith of our most victorious prince, ever radiant with catholic splendor, have restored to the most sacred churches the long-sought concord of peace; and he justly exults that, with all his triumphs most firmly secured, this unconquered standard has gone before [him]. And therefore let the inviolate holiness of your paternity persist with unceasing continuance in offering up so many prayers to almighty God for the safety and prosperity of our aforesaid lord the Augustus: that He may deign to preserve, for the advancement of future blessedness as well, the ineffable grace of such great goods, which He Himself inspired into his [the emperor's] pious thoughts. Let prayer be kindly bestowed by your pontificate also upon my lord and husband, your son, and upon me, your devoted attendant, together with the offspring which the Lord has deigned to grant us; by whose intercession may the protection of divine favor mercifully breathe upon us.

8eu Exemplum epistolae Anastasiae ad Hormisdam. (a. 519 d. 22April.) Imperatorem concordiam pacis ecclesiis restituisse; itt pro illius salute» pro con- jugcy pro sobolCi pro se ipsa preces Ilormisda ad Deum fundat. Domino sancto et beatissimo patri patrum Hor- misdae archiepiscopo universali Ecclesiae Anastasia^). Divini muneris^) illuxisse nobis gratiam merito profitemur, apo- stolatus vestri reverentiam in sancto corde nostri tenere memoriam, paginali assertione noscentes. Veraci namque spe confidimus, super- nae misericordiae propitiationem de pontificali intercessione sub- sistere, doniine beatissime et apostolico honore suscipiende pater! Pervigiles vestrarum orationum excubiae et miranda victoriosissimi 69 *) Ita hic ut epist. 70 latine videtur conversum, quod graece ferebatur a.q%uniGY.Qn(£i ot7iovfi£viy.(j). De eadem locutioue riuae ad epistolae 39 inscriptio- nem observata sunt, repete. ') Is erat Anastasii Augusti ex sorpre nepos, cujus ut et Hypatii fratris infelix exitus a Procopio de bello Persico I, 24 describitur. Quocirca Cyrillus in vitii 8. Sabae eum imperatoris consobrinum vocat. Uxorem habebat oodem Cyrillo teste Anastasiam cognatam Julianac, quac ipsius Pompeji consobrina in hist. miscell. lib. 15 appellatur. . 70 *) Pompcji, cujus est superior epistola, ut in eam observavimus, uxor. KPI8T0LAE BOMAN. PONTIF. I. * 55 (a. 519.) principis fides splendore catholico semper irradians diu expetitam sacrosanctis ecclesiis concordiam pacis resfcituit; quam omnibus trimn- phis suis solidissime firmatis invictum^)*jure exsultat praecolmsse vexillum. Ideoque illibata vestrae patemitatis saiictimonia pro in- columitate atque prosperitate praedicti domini nostri Augusti toU precesque omnipotenti Deo offerre indesinenti continuatione perai- stat : ut ineffabilem tantorum bonorum gratiam^ quam ipse piis ejns sensibus inspiravit, ad futurae quoque beatitudinis profectum con- servare dignetur. Domino etiam jugali fiiio vestro et mihi peculiari cultrici vestrae, cum sobole, quam nobis Dominus donare dignatos est, a vestro pontificatu oratio benigniter impendatur, cujus suffira- gio divini favoris protectio nobis clementer adspiret.